A US federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Texas may require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, The Associated Press reported.
The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 9-8 decision in New Orleans, strengthening similar laws in Arkansas and Louisiana. Opponents argue the measure promotes religious indoctrination and violates church-state separation.
In its majority opinion, the court rejected those claims in the Texas case, stating the requirement does not infringe on the rights of students or parents.
“No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin," the ruling stated.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups challenging the law on behalf of parents said they plan to appeal to the US Supreme Court.
The Texas law, signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott, took effect in September and represents the largest effort so far to display the Ten Commandments in public schools. It was immediately challenged and initially blocked in several school districts before the appellate court reversed that decision.
The mandate applies to schools across Texas, which educates about 5.5 million public school students. It requires posters to be displayed in a “conspicuous place" and mandates specific size and visibility standards, including a minimum of 16 by 20 inches and lettering visible from anywhere in the classroom to someone with “average vision."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton welcomed the ruling, calling it “a major victory for Texas and our moral values."
“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day," he said.
The appeals court had previously heard arguments in both the Texas case and a similar Louisiana case. In February, it allowed Louisiana to enforce its own Ten Commandments classroom law.
Republican lawmakers in other states, including Alabama, have also advanced similar legislation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents Louisiana, has said he supports the Ten Commandments law in Louisiana and added he thinks the law will survive legal challenges.